A lot has happened for singer-songwriter David Cook since his milestone moment in 2008 when he walked away as the Season 7 winner of American Idol. Between landing on the Billboard charts and breaking those chart records, Cook has scored some platinum records, found time to tour (a lot!) and help create hits for other artists. His new EP, Chromance, marks yet another creative milestone in his musical career.

“This record, I wanted it to feel like a new chapter,” explains Cook. “And so with Chromance, I made more of a concerted effort to try to incorporate new inspirations.”

Chromance has been a labor of love for the artist and for fans who, thanks to the direct-to-fan music platform PledgeMusic, were able to go along on the ride with him through the creative process.

“I think coming off of Idol in 2008, the landscape of the industry was so different. One of the really exciting ways in which the industry has shifted is there’s more opportunities for direct artist to fan connection and communication.”

Very happily married, Cook finds himself pointing out that Chromance’s hot love-on-the-rocks song, “Gimme Heartbreak,” has nothing to do with his marital situation.

“I feel like so often songs about love are about love in the very romantic sense and it’s all very uplifting. With this [EP], I wanted to try to attack the other side of it, maybe some of the darker colors of love. And a song like “Gimme Heartbreak”—I mean, Lord knows I’ve been through it, I imagine most everybody has, or you’re in that relationship and it’s not the right one and you know it, but you still want to be in it for whatever reason—that was kind of the angle on that song. And I can say it’s not about my marriage—my wife and I are great and everything’s good,” says Cook with a little chuckle. “But you pull from past experiences and try to find the right words.”

Cook’s proven to be a pro when it comes to using past experiences to build on future success. Ten years before scoring this 2008 Idol win, he was already busy trying to carve out his career. He credits those early days with helping him prepare for his Idol performances. He credits the show with giving him the confidence those years didn’t bring.

“I spent 10 years before Idol getting told no a lot. Call it youth, call it determination, call it stubbornness— whatever you want to call it. I took those no’s and tried to make something out of them. And then I got to a point where I got 14 yes’s in a row. That’s how many times I made the cut all the way through to the end [of American Idol].”

Cook’s February was stacked with tour dates, but there is no break in sight for the singer/songwriter who is preparing to take the stage on April 3, for his Broadway debut in Kinky Boots. For the artist who has always strived to create memorable musical connections and stretch creatively, those boots will likely be a perfect fit.

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